The 1844 Coffee Company situated at Bedford's Bus Station makes history today, by being the first retail outlet to stock psychological suspense novella, Fractured, by local author, Anna L. Bragga.

"I was chatting to the manager behind the counter, when she pointed out the book sitting up on a shelf beside the coffees and syrups," says Anna, who has become a regular customer since the re-opening and refurbishment of the premises in Thurlow Street. "Now anyone visiting the cafe will be able to dip into the story about a young homeless woman over a coffee and cake, or one of their luscious fresh smoothies."

Thousands at risk from artificial water fluoridation as Council rejects call to review Pulloxhill plans

Some 15,000 residents living in Central Bedfordshire could suddenly discover that their water supply has been treated by a chemical known to lower the IQ in children and cause a raft of health problems linked to thyroid dysfunction in adults, including weight gain, depression and tiredness.

Sunday Night Stories is back with a second instalment of FRACTURED: Memories of a Survivor (Volume I) spoken by Welsh actress, Emily Wilden. This time, we are taken through Debs' memories of her teen years, seen through her eyes, setting the scene for later events.

Let your imagination wander through the crisp, Yorkshire lilt of Emily's scintillating performance as twenty-three old Deborah Rawlings. What could be about to transpire next?

I was lucky to be introduced to Emily Wilden, an accomplished Welsh actress and voice-over artist based in Cardiff and London. Not only do you get a preview of 'Fractured' before publication, you can enjoy a high quality performance. Tune in for six and half minutes and let her voice send you into another world, Deborah's world. And then let me know how the story makes you feel. Come back next week to hear the part II of Chapter 1, The Early Years.

I was recently invited to review Removing Chains of Child Abuse, an anthology of stories, poems and art by seventeen survivors of human trafficking, child abuse and bullying, brought together by trauma-informed advocates, Ark of Hope for Children in partnership with TGIM Digital Publishing. I hesitated at first, because as a contributor, I assumed that my perceptions and analyses would appear biased or lacking objectivity to the average reader. Then on reflection, I realised that my own hard-won knowledge could be an advantage. So I decided to give it a go and let you decide.

Problems with the proofs have put 'Fractured' on hold for the time being. I am sorry to disappoint all my friends and followers who had been eagerly looking forward to the scheduled release tomorrow, October 12th. It is my hope that matters will be resolved and the book will be available in due course. Further announcements to follow.

Due for release: October 12th 2017

Story summary

Deborah knows how easily people can switch moods; her pencil case is stuffed with notes on the devastating consequences. She thought leaving home would be the beginning of a brighter future, a chance to do something worthwhile with her life. But somehow the past was determined to follow her, lead her into places more terrifying than she'd known.